Hurricanes Claim Three Titles at Georgia Tech Invite
May 16, 2009
ATLANTA – The University of Miami men’s and 16th-ranked women’s track and field teams closed out their final regular season meet on a winning note at the George C. Griffin Track on the campus of Georgia Tech. The 4×400 relay, Murielle Ahoure and Ti’erra Brown all outlasted their opponents and claimed titles in the last meet before the NCAA Regional Championships.
The 4×400 relay team of Ahoure, Tameka Jameson, Ti’erra Brown and Takecia Jameson blew away the competition on their way to a winning time of 3:36.32, a season-best effort in the event. The second place team from Middle Tennessee State finished more than four seconds behind Miami at 3:40.73.
The Hurricane trio of Brown, Tameka Jameson and Takecia Jameson all finished in the top-eight of the 400-meter hurdles. Brown walked away as champion with her season-best time of 57.28, improving on her regional qualifying time. Tameka Jameson finished right behind Brown in second-place at 57.44. Takecia Jameson improved on her regional time as well at 59.84 seconds.
“Tameka and Ti’erra had very stong performances today,” said Director of Track and Field Amy Deem. “I also am proud of how the women were able to recover and run the best 4×400 time of the season.”
Ahoure claimed the 100-meter dash with a time of 11.42 seconds. On Friday, the senior ran the best time in the qualifying round at 11.37 seconds. Junior Kristy Whyte also placed, coming in seventh with a time of 11.84 seconds.
Whyte also ran in the 200-meter dash where she was the top-collegiate finisher at 23.63 seconds. Teammate Nene Kamate crossed the line with a time of 24.43 seconds.
“Murielle and Kristy were very impressive in their events today,” added Deem. “After a week off for final exams, I think we are in great position heading into regionals and then nationals.”
Both Mikese Morse and Deandra Doyley were the second-place finishers in the men’s and women’s long jump respectively. Morse was the top collegiate athlete with a mark of 7.52m (24-08.25), his fourth regional qualifying mark of the season. Doyley, with her fourth qualifying leap on the year reached 6.08m (19-11.50).
Doyley effort in the triple jump was the second-best collegiate mark as well at 12.39m (40-07.75). The leap was the second best performance by the junior in the event this season.
Junior Cory Nelms, who qualified for the finals of the 110-meter hurdles yesterday, placed seventh overall and was the third collegiate athlete to finish, with a time of 14.34 seconds. The Neptune, N.J. native also participated in the 400-meter hurdles, where he was the third collegiate to cross the line in a new season-best time of 51.75 seconds, likely improving his seeding at the NCAA Regional Championships.
Patrick Blackie, a sophomore from Orange, N.J. ran his season-best time in the 400-meter dash at 48.84 seconds.
High jumper Megan Novinger tied her second-best mark of the season as her final leap of the season reached 1.65m (5-05.00).
The Hurricanes will have two weeks to prepare for the NCAA East Regional Championships in Greensboro, N.C., May 29-30.
